- Medicines on their own are NOT the most effective way to treat Chronic Pain.
- Chronic Pain may never be completely cured, but it certainly can be managed.
- People who actively manage their pain on a daily basis get the best results.
- There are many self-management strategies that can help and we will explore them below.
Why medicines on their own are not the answer for Chronic Pain
Most of us experience pain from time to time, but for 1 in 5 Australians, it just will not go away. This is called Chronic Pain and it lasts beyond the expected time for healing after surgery or trauma, and can exist without any clear reason.
While medicines such as codeine or other opioids are sometimes prescribed for Chronic Pain, research has shown that they are not effective in the longer term, contributing on average to only a 30% reduction in pain.
They also come with unwanted side-effects such as nausea, drowsiness, constipation, mood change and difficulty in concentrating.
After a short time you may develop a tolerance to opioids and the dosage must be progressively increased to achieve the same pain-relieving effect.
If you have Chronic Pain, it is important to learn to manage it effectively without relying solely on medicines.
Evidence shows that people with Chronic Pain who are actively involved in managing their pain on a daily basis have less disability than those who are engaged in passive therapies, such as taking medication or surgery.
Tips on Managing Chronic Pain without painkillers
Chronic Pain is a complex experience, which is influenced by physical, psychological, and social factors. The best way to manage it is to address ALL the factors affecting your pain.
Following are some tips to help you manage your pain. It is important to keep a positive attitude until you find a mix of strategies that works for you.
Daily Stretching and Walking
Moderate daily exercise will keep your muscles conditioned and improve your pain levels. If you haven’t been active for a while, start small and increase your activity over time. Ask your physiotherapist about an exercise plan tailor-made for you.
Pacing activities throughout the day
Pacing is vital to pain management. By planning rest or stretch breaks, and keeping physical activity at an even level throughout the day, you can reduce the risk of flare-ups.
Daily relaxation techniques
When our muscles are tense, they increase pressure on nerves and tissues, which increases pain. To reduce muscle tension, you can use simple deep-breathing techniques, or take a yoga or meditation class, to learn techniques that you can use at home.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is about learning to accept all your thoughts and feelings, including pain. It can help you to live with pain more successfully. You can learn more in my previous Article on on Mindfulness at http://pennas.wpengine.com/mindfulness-its-worth-a-try/
Learn desensitisation
Desensitisation involves learning not to react to your pain in a negative way. This retrains the way that your brain thinks about pain, which can improve the experience of pain and pain levels.
Apply distraction
Distraction is focusing on something other than the pain, often something pleasant or something that you enjoy doing, such as listening to music or even adult colouring-in.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a psychological technique to help people deal with the factors associated with Chronic Pain, including Depression. Your doctor can refer you to a psychologist for help with CBT.
Improve sleep
A good night’s rest will help you cope with your pain. If you are having trouble sleeping, try implementing a bedtime ritual, and keep your bedroom peaceful and relaxing.
Diet and Exercise
Maintaining a healthy weight can improve symptoms of Chronic Pain, particularly for people with Osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal or joint pain. Weight loss can be achieved by modifying your diet and reducing your daily intake of saturated fats and sugars. Daily low-impact exercise will also help. Talk to one of us about our CSIRO Impromy weight loss program which has assisted many of our customers. Simply Click on the following link : http://pennas.wpengine.com/good-getting-started/
Other treatments
Some people experience pain relief from massage or treatments that stimulate the nervous system. These include Acupuncture or using a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator) machine which we sell at the pharmacy. If your pain continues at a severe level, your doctor may refer you to a Pain Specialist.
Natural Supplements
Talk to us about trialing high dose fish oil or Medical Strength Turmeric as these have often proven successful in a lot of our customers.
Finding Support
Chronic Pain can be an isolating experience and you may benefit from joining a Support Group or online community. You may also consult a counsellor if pain affects your work or home relationships.
How a Doctor Management Plan can help people with Chronic Pain.
If you want to take charge of your pain management, find a supportive doctor who can coordinate your care with a Medicare-funded Care Plan, which will allow you access to a rebate from an allied health professional, such as a physiotherapist or psychologist.
An extremely helpful resource is the Pain Management Network, which can be found be Clicking on the following link. http://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/chronic-pain
Make yourself a cuppa and take some time to fully explore this wonderful resource and make sure you watch the videos.
As of the 1st of February 2018, ALL medications containing Codeine in Australia will be only available on a Doctor’s prescription.
As a Compounding Pharmacy, we are also able to work closely with your doctor to help you manage your Chronic Pain by customising any medicines for you. For example, if you have arthritis but are unable to take certain medications due to stomach irritation, we can formulate a topical anti-inflammatory or analgesic. Through our successful work with transdermal dosing, we have been able to effectively treat Chronic Pain and minimise side-effects such as sedation and constipation !
We are always available at Inverell Pharmacy to assist you on your journey. We can be found at 132 Byron Street (next to Telstra) or phone us on 0267 223146.
Inverell Pharmacy – your locally owned and operated pharmacy with 5 pharmacists to Assist and Advise you.